I'll Always Be Here For You
by Death Be Thy Name
Summary: DxS : After countless attempts of making Danny join 'im, all ending in vain, Vlad hires the world's deadliest group of assassins. All hell bent on taking more than just his lunch money...
1. The Beginning

**"FENTON!"**

Baby blue orbs searched, frantically, for a place to hide. Eventually, they locked onto a closet. He held his breath when a dark shadow loomed from behind the door.

"Found you," it chuckled, darkly. Out of fear, he flew through the ceiling.

* * *

In a broken down neighborhood far away, mysterious figures gathered. 

"So, what is it this time?" Asked the voice of a young male.

"Yes," hissed a sultry female in agreement. "Why DID you call us, Zin?"

"If you must know," answered a weezy, high voice. "We have received another mission."

"Really?"

"Yes."

From out of the darkness, a photo was sent spinning across the room. It burrowed into the wall, rattling slightly from impact. On it... an ivory-skinned boy with jet black hair and baby blue eyes, wearing a T-shirt and trademark blue jeans.

"So," started a husky female. "When do we begin?"

"Not yet," replied the wheezy one. "We have, first, to meet our employer. A certain, Vlad Masters."

"Heh... the typical rich guy."

"Hey, it's better than nothing."

"I guess..."

"Whatever."


	2. Broken Promises

"Danny, you can't just let him push you around like that!" Sam reprimanded. "You have to fight back!"

"I know...but..." Danny started, putting his head in his hands. "...I just can't." Sam's face softened at the tear that hit the floor. Sitting down next to him, she draped an arm around his shoulder, comfortingly.

"Sometimes, I just..." He trailed off, eyes brimming with tears. He blinked them away "... When I do that, I feel like..." He sighed, sadly. He lifted his head to face her. "...I just don't want to end up like _him_." He whispered so only she could hear.

"Don't worry," Sam whispered, smiling. His eyes widened when soft lips pressed against his. "You won't." She finished, pulling away.

He smiled, softly.

Suddenly, a shrief of terror rang out and Danny stood up, bravely.

"Danny..." She said, looking up at him, worriedly.

"Don't worry." He said, imitating her words. "I'll come back... I promise."

With the same worried look, she released his shirt.

_I hope..._

And he sprinted down the hall, searching... looking... for the source. He gasped for breath as his legs pumped from below, only to stop abruptly. His knees buckled.

On the floor, before him, was a dark-tanned boy with roundly-rimmed glasses, wearing a characteristic orange beret. A frightened look crossed his frozen features.

Danny's head drooped in sadness. "Tucker... No..."

Lifting his head, he crawled over to Tucker's motionless form and struggled to turn him with over.

"Wha..." Danny gasped, softly, catching a glimpse of his chest. He let go, in shock, and jumped back onto his hands and rear. Slowly, he shook his head, clearly disbelieving everything... from finding Tucker to the huge gash that reached from shoulder to hip. Shielding his eyes with a hand, he desperately tried to rid himself of the image, forever, burned in his mind. But to no avail.

Tucker... was dead. Whether he liked it or not.

Without another word, he stood up and turned away. He barely walked a few steps when...

"Finally! It's about time." Came a deep, somewhat cocky voice from above. Almost automatically, Danny searched for it's owner. When he couldn't find it...

Blue orbs narrowed to slits as a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Standing before him was a man. No, not a man... More like a teenager. Judging from his face and build, he looked to be about 18 or 19. Either way, it was hard to tell.

He had short, crimson hair. Spikes of red jutted from all over his head, each pointing in a different direction. Much like the sign usually found at a crossroads. Black slits engraved the yellow orbs staring back at him. Danny could almost feel the hatred radiating from them. Had it not been for the loose, black sash that concealed his neck, nose, and mouth, he would have been able to see it. On closer inspection, he realized the edges were ratty and torn up.

Other than that was a dark gray turtleneck. Suspended over it was a silver "V" pendant, rimmed with red. The legs, so to speak, were spread wide apart. Silver seams illuminated the black jeans clinging to his legs. The bottom hem, also torn and ratty with age. Black, bulky combat boots clunked behind him as he walked up to Danny.

Black and dappled with silver, full bracers, extending from his elbow to just past the knuckles, fell limply by his sides. Danny stared, warily, at the large, feathered wing that uncurled from his back. Black feathers shook, firmly, before retiring behind his sturdy form. "Heh... So, you're Danny Phantom?"

Danny needn't reply for his luminescent eyes provided the answer.

"You look kin' a scrawny, if you ask me." He continued, raising a gauntlet over his chest. Up to the point where his fingers grazed his shoulder. A loud _shink!_ rang out as a sharp blade extended from atop his armored-palm, concealing his now-clenched fingers. "But, who am I to judge?"

"You're right," Danny piped up as two rings of light appeared around him. Baby blue brightened to a blinding lime green. "Who are you to judge?" He hissed, throwing a punch at the eccentric figure, only to collide with empty air.

"Pity, you have to die." Came a voice from behind. Danny whirled around. The teen's eyes, closed with sympathy. And then, he was gone.

It happened so fast Danny couldn't help but wonder what happened.

Only the deep slash that burrowed through his jumpsuit and punctured his skin told him, otherwise. He hissed at the pain, pulsing from the wound, and clutched it with both hands. Almost automatically, his knee buckled, sending him in almost a bow.

Behind him, yellow eyes narrowed in silence, watching... waiting... for a response. Instead...

"Get up." He barked, trudging over to Danny, his wing uncurling.

"_Wha_?" Danny gasped, turning his head.

"_Get up_," he repeated, more firmly. "I know I'm supposed to kill you, but I'd like it to be more of a challenge. So, _get up_."

Danny just stared at him as if he had grown a second-head.

The red-head just narrowed his eyes even more. "What are you? _Deaf_? I said... _Get the fuck up_!" He spat, shoving Danny with a single foot.

He, quickly, righted himself, and jammed a fist into the floor to "friction" his slide. Unfortunately for him, that only worsened the pain in his side and he discharged his hand, quickly.

"Much better..." The red-head praised, eyes locked onto Danny's battered form. "Now..." He whispered, dangerously. Both gauntlets crossed over his chest, and twin blades erupted in an instant. "Let's see what you're made of."

And he lunged at him. Danny, ready, went intangible... Only to cry out in pain as both blades slashed at his torso, relentlessly. He opened an eye, in an effort to find an opening, only to feel metal slam against it, sending him into a brick wall.

Silence fell between them, broken only by the loud hiss of metal against metal and the small thunder of bricks, breaking loose from their position on the wall and finished with a _plop!_ onto the tiled floor. A small haze drifted over the large, crooked gap, where Danny lay sprawled out.

The red head narrowed his eyes, slyly, and let the blades sink back into his armored-palms as he strolled, carelessly, over to Danny.

"Figures." He said, disappointed, as two rings appeared. "Oh, well." With that, he raised a single gauntlet and...

He stopped.

"Danny!" Came a voice from down the hall. Black, combat boots slowed to a halt at his weakened form, and kneeled beside him. He groaned, weakly.

"Shh..." She shushed, stroking his chest. "It's OK, now... Oh, Danny..." Her voice began to tremble. "When Tucker... I just..." A lone tear rolled down her cheek. She calmed when a battered hand met her's and gripped it, firmly.

"Danny..."

"I know, Sam, I know."

The two froze when footsteps drifted into earshot. "Mr. Fenton!" Came the worried tone of Mr. Lancer, towering over him. "My gosh! What _happened_ to you!"

And it was then, he just... let it go.

"I have ghost powers." He droned.

"You _what_?" Mr. Lancer asked in disbelief.

"Yup!" He said, smoothly, despite his bruises. He looked up at him, expectantly. "I have ghost powers."

Mr. Lancer's eyes widened slightly and he stepped back. Disbelief spiraled into oblivion when tears brimmed his baby blue eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

He was speaking the truth.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he managed to choke out. "May I?"

Sam glanced between them. As if reading her mind, Danny gave a weak nod. Turning back to Mr. Lancer, she nodded, sharply, and moved aside. She stared at the ground, sadly, as Mr. Lancer's footsteps died away with Danny in his arms.

* * *

Meanwhile, lemon eyes watched with interest at the scene that unraveled before him. _Beep!_

He, reluctantly, raised a gauntlet to his waist to press a single button.

"Yeah?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

Chirping filled the air.

"Yeah, he did."

More chirping.

"No, but I found better."

Chirp-chirp.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out." He whispered, dangerously.

Chirp-chirp.

"Yeah. What about him?"

Chirp-chirp.

"Go ahead, I'm not stopping you."

Chirp-chirp.

He chuckled, darkly. "Use your imagination."

Chirp-chirp.

"OK, see ya."

_Beep!_

There was a soft ruffle of feathers before a _whoosh!_ and then, silence.


End file.
